Vincent of Lérins
Saint Vincent of Lérins | |
---|---|
Died | c. 445 Insulae Lero et Lerina, Western Roman Empire (now in France) |
Venerated in | Catholic Church[1] Eastern Orthodox Church[2] Anglican Communion |
Feast | 24 May |
Vincent of Lérins (
Personal life
Vincent of Lérins was born in
Gennadius of Massilia wrote that Vincent died during the reigns of the Roman Emperor Theodosius II in the East and Valentinian III in the West. Therefore, his death must have occurred in or before the year 450. His relics are preserved at Lérins.[7] Caesar Baronius included his name in the Roman Martyrology but Louis-Sébastien Le Nain de Tillemont doubted whether there was sufficient reason. He is commemorated on 24 May.
Commonitory
Vincent wrote his
Pope Francis has quoted Vincent's Commonitory on several occasions, notably his words on doctrine and the progress of doctrine: "The dogma of the Christian religion must follow these laws. It progresses, consolidating over the years, developing with time, deepening with age."[10][11]
Semipelagianism
Augustine wrote of prevenient grace, and expanded to a discussion of predestination. A number of monastic communities took exception to the latter because it seemed to nullify the value of asceticism practiced under their rules. John Cassian felt that Augustine's stress on predestination ruled out any need for human cooperation or consent.
Vincent was suspected of Semipelagianism but whether he actually held that doctrine is not clear as it is not found in the Commonitorium. But it is probable that his sympathies were with those who held it. Considering that the monks of the Lérins Islands – like the general body of clergy of Southern Gaul – were Semipelagians, it is not surprising that Vincent was suspected of Semipelagianism. It is also possible that Vincent held to a position closer to the Eastern Orthodox position of today, which they claim to have been virtually universal until the time of Augustine, and which may have been interpreted as Semipelagian by Augustine's followers.
Vincent upheld tradition and seemed to have objected to much of Augustine's work as "new" theology. He shared Cassian's reservations about Augustine's views on the role of grace. In the Commonitorium he listed theologians and teachers who, in his view, had made significant contributions to the defense and spreading of the Gospel; he omitted Augustine from that list. Some commentators have viewed Cassian and Vincent as "Semiaugustinian" rather than Semipelagian.
It is a matter of academic debate whether Vincent is the author of the Objectiones Vincentianae, a collection of sixteen inferences allegedly deduced from Augustine's writings, which is lost and only known through Prosper of Aquitaine's rejoinder, Responsiones ad capitula objectionum Vincentianarum. It is dated close to the time of the Commonitorium and its animus is very similar to the Commonitorium sections 70 and 86, making it possible that both were written by the same author.[5]
References
- ^ 24 May Archived 2011-10-12 at the Wayback Machine. The Roman Martyrology.
- ^ Great Synaxaristes: (in Greek) Ὁ Ὅσιος Βικέντιος τῶν Λερίνων. 24 Μαΐου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.
- ^ a b "St. Vincent of Lerins - Saints & Angels". Catholic Online. Retrieved 19 September 2021.
- ^ a b "St. Vincent of Lérins", St. Vincent of Lérins Orthodox Church, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
- ^ a b This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Ghellinck, Joseph de (1912). "St. Vincent of Lérins". In Herbermann, Charles (ed.). Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 15. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
- ^ "St. Vincent of Lérins", New Advent Catholic encyclopedia
- ^ Butler, Alban. The Lives or the Fathers, Martyrs and Other Principal Saints, Vol.V, by Alban Butler, D. & J. Sadlier, & Company, (1864)
- ^ Vincent of Lérins (1894). Wikisource. . In Schaff, Philip; Wace, Henry (eds.). A select library of the Nicene and post-Nicene fathers of the Christian Church. 2. Vol. 11. Translated by Heurtley, Charles A. (American ed.). Buffalo: Christian Literature – via
- ^ OCLC 635499104. Has good notes.
- ^ "Walking Together: Francis in conversation with Jesuits in Canada". La Civiltà Cattolica. 4 August 2022. Retrieved 5 August 2022.
- ISBN 9781472909787. Retrieved 5 August 2022.
- ^ This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Pohle, Joseph (1912). "Semipelagianism". In Herbermann, Charles (ed.). Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 13. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
Further reading
- Thomas G. Guarino, Vincent of Lerins and the Development of Christian Doctrine. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2013.
External links
- Opera Omnia by Migne Patristica Latina
- Vincent of Lerins, The "Vincentian Canon"
- Commonitory
- Works by Vincent of Lérins at LibriVox (public domain audiobooks)